The Shackles of Servitude
by Ink17
Summary: Sequel to Republic High. READ IT FIRST! Full summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters and quotes from _Attack of the Clones_ belong to George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd.**

**I'm bringin' it back! Here comes the first chapter of the _Republic High_ sequel: _The Shackles of Servitude_. I'm not gonna lie, it starts out pretty dark, but it _does _have a happy ending. So, for now, try to bear with me- the first chapter of Servitude is coming in hot! This is in Padmé's POV, first-person, present-tense. I'm still experimenting here, so let me know if it works out for you...**

**I'm taking a shot in the dark here, I'm a guy, attempting to write from a girl's perspective. I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, so any help you guys could give me would be much appreciated!**

**Here we go!**

_**A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...**_

_**The Republic is in chaos.**_

_**With the death of Palpatine's right hand man, Ruwee Naberrie, he has chosen ANAKIN SKYWALKER as the heir to his Empire.**_

**_ Under the influence of _Vader _Anakin has committed many horrible crimes, including the murder of his girlfriend's father._**

_** Horrified by his actions, the former student-council member, PADMÈ NABERRIE has fled the capitol city of Coruscant, to live with her mother in the relative tranquility of Naboo.**_

_**Disillusioned and alone, Anakin serves as Palpatine's personal enforcer, believing that Padmé will never forgive him for the atrocities he has performed at Palpatine's request.**_

_**Meanwhile, OBI-WAN KENOBI, MACE WINDU, and Anakin's cousin, AHSOKA TANO, travel to Naboo to flee from Emperor Palpatine's terrible reign.**_

_**Can our heroes put aside their differences, reconcile their pasts, and stop Palpatine once and for all?**_

**_***SoS***_**

I don't know what time it is when the nightmares finally release me; the bed is drenched in sweat and the sheets are piled at the bottom of the mattress. My hand fumbles for the lamp switch-it's beside my bed, it shouldn't be too hard to find.

I knock a bunch of pill bottles off my nightstand in the process, sending the containers to the floor with a sound like rain. I don't remember how many medications I'm on at the moment; the sound tells me it's a lot.

I can read the labels when the light comes on, and I look away from the cluster of orange cylinders in shame.

Most of the medications are anti-depressants, and anti-psychotics, with some meds just to help curb the side effects.

I don't want to need these things, but I do.

Because I'm broken.

_He_ broke me.

And, try as I might, I just can't seem to put myself back together.

"Don't do this," _His _voice swirls around me, comforting and haunting at the same time.

I know he shouldn't be here, _can't_ be here.

But, he is.

And I don't want to let him go.

I want this sick, demented little fantasy to go on and on and on. Forever and ever and ever.

Anakin brushes my hair out of my face, and kisses my lips tenderly.

"What?" I ask.

Anakin frowns. "Everybody needs a little help now and then, don't beat yourself up just because you have to take a few pills." he says firmly, almost chastising.

"Okay," I agree quickly, leaning forward for another kiss.

Anakin scoots back, out of my reach. "I'm serious." he says. The ghost of his crooked smile, his only-for-me smile, flickers across his face. "I want you to be happy."

"Then come _back_. I don't care about the things you've done. I _forgive _you! Do you hear me? I don't _care_ anymore. I can't live without you...You can see that can't you? Every day we're apart...I'm in agony. If you're suffering as much as I am, please, tell me...Don't you miss me too?" I plead with him. He has to know how much it hurts to be without him.

Anakin's face contorts in a tortured grimace. "More than you can possibly imagine." He breathes. "I have to go...I'll see you soon." He says, and slowly begins to fade. "I love you." He blows me a kiss and gives me one last lopsided smile.

I reach out to him, grabbing, grasping, snatching frenetically for anything I can get my hands on.

Anything to make him stay.

But it's no use-he disappears, that same smile, _my_ smile, on his face.

I look around the room and despair sets in; the bed looks exactly the same as it did when I woke up.

The sheets aren't even slightly out of place.

And then I understand.

Anakin was never here. Not really.

I shake my head, wipe the tears from my face, and reach for my anti-psychotics.

I inspect the bottle carefully, meticulously, searching in between the medical words that I don't understand, hoping an answer will magically appear.

But nothing happens. I didn't have high expectations, anyway.

Sighing, I return the bottle to the table beside my bed.

_I don't need them._ I tell myself. _Those pills are for crazy people._

Right.

Crazy people.

I'm not crazy...

Am I?

**Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. It's really short. This is more of a prologue anyway, the meat of the story comes in the next chapter. Let me know what you think!**

**May the Force be with you...**

**~Ink**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters and quotes from the _Revenge of the Sith_ novelization are the property of George Lucas and Matthew Stover, respectively.**

**First of all, I owe everyone a great big THANK YOU for all the reviews! You guys rock!**

**The second chapter of SoS (fitting, don't you think?) is coming up shortly, we get to see what Anakin has been up to all this time, and we get to see Ahsoka, Mace and Obi-Wan for the first time.**

**I feel obliged to warn you, I'll probably be switching between third-person, present tense and first-person, present-tense until I figure out which one works best. For now, Padmé's POV will always be in first-person; present-tense. I'm still figuring out the others, so try and bear with me guys!**

**Also, _Vader _ now gives Anakin a sort of revamped Jedi mind-trick ability-I thought it needed a little something extra. Let me know what you think.**

**Enjoy!**

Anakin leans against the receptionist's desk, yellow eyes smoldering. "I need to see mister Gunray." He says, his voice tight, controlled-attempting to be subtle when he has _Vader_ coursing though him feels so incredibly...foreign. "It's urgent."

"I've already told you: he's indisposed. If you want to see him, you'll have to make an appointment." The receptionist's reply is acerbic.

Anakin's anger builds-this woman has _no idea_ who she's dealing with...or what he's capable of.

Palpatine's new _Vader_ compound is vastly stronger than the first-it gives Anakin the ability to read and manipulate people's intentions as well as granting him superhuman speed, strength, agility, and reflexes.

And, even though his face remains placid, he knows the receptionist is reaching for the silent alarm beneath the desktop.

\ Anakin bites back a sigh. "That won't be necessary." He insists, one hand dropping to the hilt of his sword.

He pauses for a moment, reflecting upon the fact that Palpatine's choice in clothing is rather ridiculous. His black robe's sleeves are too long, the cloak itself almost reaches the floor; it's cumbersome-not to mention a tripping hazard. However, the scabbard attached to his belt is convenient.

"There's no need to involve security." Anakin repeats, unleashing the full force of his disconcertingly golden gaze.

The receptionist falters. The man before her is undeniably handsome, and the unnatural color of his eyes only serves to make him more...mysterious. "There's no need to involve security." She parrots dazedly.

Anakin leans forward almost as if he's going to kiss the woman.

The receptionist swoons.

As Anakin slips around the desk, another image assaults him; the receptionist is reaching for a gun.

Anakin rolls his eyes. It's time for him to move along. "That's not very nice." he chides.

In an instant, the sword clears its scabbard, flashing upward in an ice-cold fan of death.

The receptionist falls back onto the floor with a thud, mortally wounded.

Anakin gazes down at the dying woman. "But then again, neither am I." With that, Anakin turns on his heel and makes for the elevators.

He knows exactly how to get to Nute Gunray's apartment, Palpatine was very specific in his instructions.

Anakin allows himself a tiny smile at his stroke of good-fortune-the hallways are mostly empty, and he makes his way to the banker's room without further incident. With one last surreptitious glance down the hallway, he plant's his booted foot into the door, sending the flimsy wooden contraption spinning off it's hinges.

Anakin pulls up the cowl of his robe, concealing his face. He steps silently into the room, drawing his sword.

"Who's there?" A voice, shaking with terror, spirals out of the pitch-dark apartment.

Anakin doesn't reply.

Nute Gunray's tired gaze locks on to the fearsome apparition in his doorway. Instinctively, he reaches for the light switch. Although the soft yellow glow brings some relief, it does nothing to shed light on the identity of his unwelcome guest.

The intruder is tall, dressed in a black hooded robe, and is carrying a sword.

"Who are you?" Nute demands, terror constricting his throat.

"I'm here on behalf of Emperor Palpatine." Anakin replies.

"What do you want?" Gunray asks, voice trembling.

The silver, glinting sword comes up. "You."

Horror turns Nute Gunray's guts to lead. He has been betrayed.

"No, _no_," He gasps, backing away slowly.

Anakin takes a step forward in half-hearted pursuit.

"The coup is _over_ Palpatine promised me once the coup was over, I would be left in peace."

Anakin crosses the room in less time than it takes to blink. "No," He says. His blade sweeps down to slash across Gunray's legs, sending the banker to his knees. "His transmission was garbled." Anakin's blade flashes again. He promised you would be left in _pieces_."

_*****SoS*****_

"Pull over." Ahsoka moans. _I _knew _I shouldn't have eaten that stupid gas station burrito. That's just asking for trouble._ She thinks to herself. _The fact that Mace drives like a drunk person doesn't help either._

Mace complies, and then blinks in astonishment as Ahsoka leaps from the car and runs to a nearby bush, spewing the contents of her stomach all over the green foliage.

"What the kriff?" He says, nonplussed.

Obi-Wan turns to look at his friend with an exaggerated eye-roll.

"This is your fault." He accuses.

"How the kriff is it _my_ fault?" Mace wonders.

"Dude, Ahsoka's like, twelve, she can't handle road trip roughage. Gas station burritos are for seasoned road-trip vets. _Not for the children_." Obi-Wan sighs in exasperation. "Let's just stop at Subway next time."

"Fine, whatever." Mace retorts as Ahsoka climbs back into the car, wiping puke from her mouth with her sweatshirt sleeve, and spearing Mace with a hard glare.

"I blame you." She says weakly. "Don't you know better than to feed kids gas station burritos? I could've _died_. I'm _delicate_." Ahsoka explains slowly, as though Mace is particularly dim-witted.

"Aw, huttslime, a little salmonella never killed anyone. It'll toughen you up." Mace replied.

"'The kriff Windu! I hope you never go into child-care; you'll end up killing somebody. Taxi driver is definitely out as a career path too, you drive like you're stoned." Ahsoka snaps back.

Mace says nothing, peeling off the shoulder in a spray of gravel and dirt, tossing Ahsoka around in the back seat like a ragdoll. He glares at Obi-Wan as his companion holds up a small video camera.

"Would you put that thing away? We're not on a family vacation, Kenobi, I don't swing that way." He asks

"Could've fooled me." Ahsoka snarks from the back seat, having finally managed to buckle herself in.

Mace, for once, can't think of a good comeback.

"Holy crap! You're actually letting this happen!" Obi-Wan croons. "Mace Windu, _Mace _kriffing _Windu _ just got owned by a twelve-year-old. This is _so_ going on YouTube." Obi-Wan says, bumping fists with Ahsoka. "Nice!"

"Shut up." Mace grumbles.

**Thoughts? Anyone? Don't forget to review!**

**May the Force be with you,**

**~Ink**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 coming up shortly, but first…Thanks everyone! I'm glad you all are enjoying the story! **

**Can't think of too much preamble right now, so we're just going to jump right in.**

**Enjoy!**

Okay.

So maybe I _am_ a little bit nuts.

So what?

Truth be told, I actually don't mind. I kind of like it.

No, it's not _normal_ to hallucinate about your criminal boyfriend, but _I _happen to enjoy it. Because the hallucinations are of _my_ Anakin…I don't even want to imagine what the real Anakin Skywalker has become.

But, I can't let myself think about _him_ too much. It'll take me back to a very bad place if I dwell on it too much.

That's why I'm glad he's with me…The phantom Anakin, I mean.

I'm sitting in my chair, munching on breakfast. It's Saturday, I can take my time.

That's when Anakin comes for a visit.

I've gotten used to his sudden appearances by now, his silent entrances no longer faze me.

I smile up at him. "Hi." I say.

Anakin manages a half-smile back, but I can tell something's upsetting him. "Hello." His greeting is stiff, too formal.

"What's bothering you?" I ask him.

"You're not taking your medicine." He accuses.

My heart twinges. I'm stunned for a moment. He's really going to bring _that_ up again.

"So?" I snap defensively. He should _know _why I'm not taking them.

"You promised me you would." He reminds me.

I feel instantly guilty, and I offer a feeble excuse: "But, you'll disappear if I do!" I say.

"No, I won't. _I_ promised _you_ that, remember?" Anakin's trademark smirk flashes across his face, so quickly I'm not even sure it was there in the first place.

I nod weakly. He _had_ promised. And, unlike me, he'd held up his end of the deal.

Anakin reaches into his pocket and hands me the orange bottle.

The pills inside it rattle.

"Go on," He says, shaking the bottle, bringing me back to the here and now.

I extend a hand, and take the bottle from him. Taking the glass of orange juice from the table beside me, I look him square in the eye, and down my allotted dose. " "There." I say, pouting. "Happy now?"

Anakin smiles at my childishness. "Very much so," He says, leaning forward to kiss my forehead. "Thank you." He whispers.

When he pulls away again, his face is clouded, eyebrows dipping, almost like he's getting a headache.

"You okay?" I ask him, concerned. Even though I shouldn't be. Because he's not real. He can't feel pain.

But, I can't help myself.

Anakin smiles at me. "I'm fine."

I know he's lying, so I raise an eyebrow at him, challenging his statement.

"I'm fine, angel, really." Anakin repeats.

I know he's going to be stubborn about it; I can see it in his eyes. I sigh. _Force forbid _I _worry about _him _for a change._ I think, irritated. But, I drop it. It won't do me any good to argue with him.

Anakin reaches out and strokes my cheek gently; he knows I'm upset. "Tell me about your week." He says

I smile back at him, forgetting my irritation, and start gushing about my week at school.

I feel my eyelids getting heavy when I reach Thursday, and then everything goes black for a while.

When I wake up, there's a note on the table, scrawled on a napkin:

_Dearest Padmé,_

_ You fell asleep while you were talking, and I didn't want to wake you up…I've left my heart with you, please keep it safe until I return._

_ Love Always,_

_ Anakin_

I smile to myself and tuck the note into my pocket, and then set about cleaning up the table.

If I were paying attention, I would have noticed that the handwriting on the note didn't belong to Anakin-it was far too neat to be his.

It was mine.

_*****SoS*****_

Jobal Naberrie watches from the doorway of the kitchen, sick with worry.

Padmé has been sitting at the kitchen table for three hours, muttering to herself, and then had written something to herself on a napkin. She's fallen asleep briefly, and Jobal creeps over to the table to inspect the note:

_ Dearest Padmé,_

_ You fell asleep while you were talking, and I didn't want to wake you up…I've left my heart with you, please keep it safe until I return._

_ Love Always,_

_ Anakin_

Jobal's face creases with worry lines as she frowns. _Oh, Padmé…What am I going to do with you?_ She thinks.

Jobal kisses her sleeping child on the top of her head, replaces the note on the table and exits the room to call the doctor.

_*****SoS*****_

_Buzz._

_ Buzzzz._

_ Buzzzzzzzzzzzz._

Ahsoka grits her teeth and rolls over, falling off of the mattress.

_Wha-?_ She thinks blankly, casting a cautious glance around the room.

It's the middle of the night, so it's hard to see much of anything, but from what she can make out, she decides she must be in a hotel room of some sort.

_How did I get here?_ She wonders, and then Obi-Wan starts muttering about pie in his sleep from across the room, and she realizes that he or Mace must have carried her in. Ahsoka blushes fiercely, embarrassed.

_Buzzzzz._

The drone of someone's snoring has become unbearably loud, it's probably Mace, by the sound of things.

"Shut _up_!" Ahsoka shouts, irritated at being awoken in the middle of the night.

" 'The kriff? I'm up! I'm awake! I…." Mace's confusing mumble dies down as he falls asleep again.

_Buzz._

_Buzzzz._

_ Buzzzzzzz._

Ahsoka groans, climbs back into the bed and pulls the thick pillow around her head.

It's going to be a long night.

**Okay, you guys know what to do now…Review! Thanks for all your wonderful support so far guys, it really means a lot!**

**May the Force be with you,**

**~Ink**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All characters and quotes from the _Revenge of the Sith_ monetization and _Revenge of the Sith_ the film are the property of Matthew Stover, George Lucas, and Lucasfilm Ltd. All references to and quotes from _The Twilight Saga: Eclipse_novel are the property of Stephanie Meyer and Little Brown Publishing Co. All Lamborghini car models are the property of Automobili Lamborghini, S.p.A**

**Well, I'm glad you all are enjoying the story so far! Thanks so much for all of your support, I really appreciate it.**

**Anyways, here is my latest offering, in the form of Chapter 4! Sorry about the wait guys, I've had writer's block for the last while.**

**Enjoy! **

Anakin kneels in front of Palpatine.

_What are you doing?_ his conscience demands of him. _This is horrendous. You have become an atrocity. You're better than this, fight it. You're stronger than _Vader_ you must resist it's influence. _

"You have done well, my apprentice." Palpatine says. "Rise."

Anakin slowly stands, regarding Palpatine with a cold yellow stare. "What is your will, my master?" He asks.

Palpatine turns to gaze at his protégé. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to track down Padmé…her skill with words will be instrumental in gaining the public's approval; the world needs to see that this really _is_ what's best."

Anakin swallows past the lump that has suddenly clogged his throat. "And if she refuses?" He asks.

"Then, I'm afraid, she will be of no further use to us. Dispose of her by any means necessary."

"Surely, you can't be serious." Anakin ventures.

"I am one hundred percent serious." Palpatine says coldly. His eyes are like golden diamonds, hard and unforgiving. "You miserable whelp. Do you actually still have feelings for her?" Palpatine's leathery hand flashes out, seizing Anakin by the collar of his shirt. "Listen to me, very carefully, _boy_. She. Does. Not. Love. You. You are a fool to believe otherwise. So I offer you a choice: convince her to leave with you, or kill her. It's that simple."

Inside Anakin's furnace heart, ashes of the dread dragon surge back to life like an avenging Phoenix, swirling around Anakin's weakened core with a Herculean strength.

_ Join us, or die. _The dread dragon whispers.

Anakin can't breathe.

Kill Padmé?

Inconceivable.

"And if _I _refuse." Anakin demands, reptilian eye blazing with anger.

Palpatine hurls the youth across the room with astonishing strength.

Palpatine is strong.

But Anakin is stronger.

The young man twists himself into a flip, landing in a backward roll. He came up, sword flashing out of the scabbard.

"I don't care if she hates me. I will not harm her." Anakin cocked his arm back. "And neither will you." With that, he hurled the weapon across the room.

The fight has begun.

_*****SoS*****_

"_Nice._" Obi-Wan grumbles. "You missed the exit. Padmé's house is _that_ way."

"No I didn't. I know where I'm going." Mace assures Obi-Wan, patronizingly.

Obi-Wan rolls his eyes. This _always_ happens. Mace does not have the inborn sense of direction that he thinks he does. "Yes you did."

Mace frowns. "No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did."

"No, I _didn't_."

"Yes, you _did._

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did-"

"_Will you shut up!_" Ahsoka commands leaning forward to spear the two arguers with a sleepily venomous, bloodshot gaze. "I have not _slept_ in _thirty-five hours!_ So help me, if you cannot get along I'mma kriffin' toss the both of you out of the car and drive _myself!_" She lets out a breath. "Mace, Kenobi's right. You missed the exit. Shut up and turn around." Ahsoka shifts in her seat to glare blearily at Obi-Wan.

"Kenobi?" She slurs, exhaustion has robbed her of the ability to enunciate clearly.

"Yes?" Obi-Wan asks, unnerved by the ferocity of the tiny, sleepy, pre-teen's anger.

"Stop being a mudcrutch."

Obi-Wan saluted mockingly. "Yes ma'am!"

"I'm serious, Kenobi. If I have to come up here again, and I'll cut you. Same goes for you too, Windu." Ahsoka growled. With that, she flopped over on the backseat and went back to sleep.

"_Stang._" Mace breathed.

"My thoughts exactly." Obi-Wan muttered.

**Yeah, I know, this one is short too. I've still got writer's block… It's starting to go away though, I just need some time to plan out how I want this to go.**

**In the meantime, feedback is always helpful.**

**May the Force be with you,**

**~Ink**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it. Star Wars and all its characters belong to George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd.**

**I'd like to thank everyone who's been reviewing so far-thanks for sticking it out with me; I know the last couple chapters have been a little slow. I have a good idea of where I'm headed now, so it should pick up soon!**

**On with the show!**

The shimmering silver object twists through the air, whistling as it hurtles point-first toward Palpatine's face.

The ancient man moves with surprising speed, ducking out of the way as the heavy weapon slams into the wall and sticks fast.

"You'll have to do better than that." He goads.

Anakin bristles. "Your overconfidence is your weakness." He sneers, golden eyes blazing with fury.

Palpatine lets out a humorless chuckle. "Your faith in your own abilities is yours. You are not as strong as you believe, my apprentice. I have no wish to destroy you-stand down."

Anakin's lips split in a predatory grin. "You underestimate my power."

Rage thunders in his ears as he flashes across the room, battering Palpatine with a vicious drop-kick.

Palpatine topples backward over his large desk with a surprised cry as Anakin's momentum carries him forward.

Anakin's sword is lodged at least a foot into the wall, but he jerks it free with ease. He turns, and the _Vader_ whispers a warning:

_Left._

Without conscious thought, Anakin brings his blade around to intercept Palpatine's powerful hack. A contemptuous flick of his wrist bats the cold metal away.

Anakin launches his own brutal assault, blade singing and crashing and ringing as he batters away at Palpatine's defenses.

Palpatine's blocks are meticulous and precise, almost methodical as he foils his apprentice's every move. Anakin has raw power, but Palpatine has finesse and he has had several decades to perfect his technique.

The Emperor is not a man to be trifled with: when Anakin stumbles back under the impact of a visceral snap-kick Palpatine's blade finds its mark, trailing a crimson ribbon over Anakin's left eye.

Anakin's right fist cracks across Palpatine's face, followed up by a brutal elbow strike that drives Palpatine to a knee.

The young apprentice is too sure of himself, however, and barely manages to save his arm as Palpatine's blade sweeps upward. Palpatine drives his apprentice back with a masterfully executes series of blows.

Furious, Anakin retaliates with a flurry of his own, driving Palpatine across his spacious office, staying one step ahead of Anakin's ferocious onslaught.

The fight is pure instinct.

Anakin lands a crushing pommel strike across Palpatine's jaw, splitting the flesh and knocking a few teeth loose.

Palpatine drives a knee into Anakin's solar plexus, and the boy doubles over in agony.

Anakin is quick to recover, blade flashing up to spear Palpatine through the chin.

Only a desperate jerk to one side save's Palpatine's life, trading vitality for a gash up one side of his leathery face.

The boy is good.

Very good.

_Too _good.

Palpatine is an old man, and although he is skilled, Anakin has youth and power, and _Vader_ on his side and he continues to drive the Emperor across the floor, great double-handed blows raining down on Palpatine with the force of a meteor strike.

Anakin's blade sweeps upward, leaving Palpatine wide open for a lethal thrust. He presses his attack, only to have Palpatine step aside, bashing his head into the wall.

In his mind's eye, a sword stabs at his back.

Anakin throws himself aside as Palpatine plows forward, plunging his blade into an electric socket.

Palpatine's sword disappears into the outlet.

A sheet of blinding white fire erupts, blowing the old man back, trailing smoke and flame from his robes. He crashes into his desk once more, breaking the structure in half in a gout of sparks as his computer is destroyed, sending a plume of smoke into the air.

The sprinkler system is quick to respond, drenching the room in a torrent of lukewarm water.

Palpatine reaches down to push himself off the floor as Anakin approaches, ignorant of the sparks still spitting from his computer.

One touch is all it takes.

As soon as his gray hand makes contact with the water, a surge of electricity blasts from the computer, electrocuting him.

Purple arcs of energy spider across the man's body, searing his flesh and filling the air with the bitter stench of charred meat.

Anakin looks on in horror as Palpatine's body is chained to the floor by purple arcs of deadly energy, his body twitching of it's own accord.

After a moment, he shakes his head, and hurries from the room. _I have to warn Padmé. _

_*****SoS*****_

I somehow manage to fit the last slab of ground beef into the freezer; though I can't give myself too much credit-Anakin has much more patience than I do, and _he's_ the one who figured out how to fit it all in there.

"Thanks." I say, stretching up to kiss his cheek.

"No problem." Anakin says. "Well, now that that's finished, What do you want to do?"

I'm about to answer him when the doorbell rings.

I frown.

I've just gone grocery shopping, and mom isn't supposed to be home for another four-and-a-half hours.

So, who's at the door?

"Hang on a sec, let me go see who's at the door."

"I'll come with you." Anakin offers.

I pull out my wallet and a few small bills, expecting a to buy a few Girl Scout cookies.

Instead, I get the best thing I could've hoped for.

Obi-Wan, Mace, and Ahsoka have come to visit me.

Ahsoka bounces forward to hug me. "Hi Padmé!" She says.

I return her hug, smiling down at her. "Hey kiddo, what are you doing here?" I ask her.

"We were worried about you, thought we'd come down for a visit." Obi-Wan interjected.

As much as I've missed them, I'm glad they came to see me, but Obi-Wan is a terrible liar; his eyes give him away.

And right now, they're saying that he's not giving me the whole story.

"_Really_?" I say skeptically, giving him _the look_.

The one that says he'd better start talking, or he's going to be wishing for death in a few seconds.

Obi-Wan barely nods, and his eyes shift to Mace, then to Ahsoka, and he gives his head a scarcely visible shake.

_Mace and I will explain it later._ He was saying. _It will upset Ahsoka if she has to be part of the conversation. _

I nod. _I'll wait. _"You're late for the party, Anakin and I were about to watch a movie…Want to join us?"

Mace frowns. "What?"

Anakin winks at me and leans against the doorframe, waving at the others.

"Um, he's standing right here." I gesture to where he's standing.

Obi-Wan's expression is pained. "Padme…are you…_okay_?" He asks.

"Yeah…never better. Why?" I wonder.

"Padmé…" Ahsoka's voice is infinitely, impossibly sad. "There's nobody there."

**Okay, everybody, feedback time! I need to know what you think!**

**May the Force be with you,**

**~Ink**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters are the property of George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd. All Lamborghini car models are the property of _Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A_**

**Alright, guys, it's Update Time! Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed so far, I really appreciate the feedback; especially from the new faces I've been seeing. Thanks again, everybody!**

**Let me know what you think!**

Anakin's Lamborghini barrels down the highway, the speedometer breaking two-hundred miles an hour as he bullets past the signs for the Naboo city limits.

He wants to believe that Palpatine was killed in their duel in his office, but he can't quite convince himself to trust in that...It seems too good to be true.

Regardless, his top priority has become warning Padmé about Palpatine's plan-he only hoped she would hold back from killing him long enough to hear him out...

Anakin let out a long, stress-relieving sigh-he'd done some pretty awful things in the past, things he wasn't proud of, things he hadn't even forgiven _himself_ for, even though they were circumstantially justifiable. He had no _idea _how he was going to convince Padmé to listen to him-especially with the _Vader_ singing in his veins.

Palpatine's new chemical cocktail was a one-shot deal: take it once and you'll be set for life...Unfortunately, there was no antidote to counteract the unpleasant effects of the drug-Palpatine had no intentions of discontinuing its use.

And so, Anakin would have to find a way to rid himself of it-either that or be _extremely_ careful about controlling his emotions. It already seems like a lost cause.

But, it is for Padmé, and that's enough for him to keep holding on to hope for just a little bit longer...

Anakin smiled-he'd been so lost in thought that he'd almost driven past Padmé's house. He pulled up to the curb and shut off the engine.

He paused, taking a moment to collect himself, and then went up to the door.

_*****SoS*****_

"I don't want to talk about it." I say, flopping onto the couch, crossing my arms and pouting.

Like a child.

"Padmé," Obi-Wan says gently. "Please. We want to help you, to be here for you, but we can't do that unless we know what's going on."

"I said 'I don't want to talk about it!" I snap.

"Padmé," Obi-Wan's voice is disapproving, almost scolding. "What happened to the Padmé we knew. The one who was killer at skating and told off the principal, the kriffing _principal_ of MYA without batting an eye?"

I'm pretty sure my eyes have glazed over by this point, since I can't see right, but I don't know for certain. "I don't know." I say quietly.

Anakin fades in then, sitting on the couch beside me. He hugs me. "It's alright." He says. "Go on and tell them. I'll be right here with you the whole time."

Even though I know he's not really there, his promise somehow gives me the strength I need to go on.

Besides, these are my friends.

They care about me.

They love me.

They deserve to know why I was broken. A shell of the person they all used to know.

And so, in a small voice, I spill my guts:

"I'm scared." I said. "Truly, honestly, absolutely petrified. I never wanted to imagine that Anakin was capable of such awful things. I mean, as far as my father was concerned, I can understand why he did it, I-and I know it sounds horrible-I'm actually a little _grateful._ Prison wouldn't have worked, he was so deeply involved in the mob that even a life sentence wouldn't have lasted more than a week..." I pause, sucking in a breath, The next part is the hardest. "But that doesn't make it right. It wasn't up to Anakin to make that choice-I even asked, no I _begged_ him not to. I trusted him with _me_. I gave him everything, the good parts, the bad parts, and I told him my deepest, darkest, most horrible secret." I pause again looking Mace and Obi-Wan in the eyes. Surely, they remember the horrible consequences when they attempted to force me into admitting to what happened to me behind closed doors before I was ready.

"That must have been very hard for you." Obi-Wan says, encouragingly.

I swallow past the lump in my throat and force myself to continue:

"At the time, I had no idea what he'd done. And then, in the gym...that was just..._sickening._ I guess I just got kind of overwhelmed by it all...I didn't think he was capable of that kind of thing, especially not in cold-blood, like what happened to Dooku. Sure, he was a jerk, but I would never have wished him dead. I wondered what could've happened to him to make him do such horrible things...The Anakin _I_ knew would never have done any of that."

"Wow." Mace breathes.

"And, the worst part is, I'm still in love with him. Even after all that, I still can't stop thinking about him, wishing he would come back...For a while there I was in a very dark place after he left. I came back here with my mom, and everything just kind of...hit me. I wouldn't eat, I couldn't sleep for the longest time, and when I could, I had nightmares. It was awful. I was so in love with him, that life without him seemed pointless.

Eventually, mom got sick of me moping around all the time and took me to the doctor, who gave me a bunch of Anti-depressants. And they helped, for a little while at least. But even with the medicine, I still couldn't let go of him. I started hallucinating, and then it was back to the doctor for more happy-pills and some Anti-psychotics...But I haven't been taking those, since I can't see _him_ when I do..." I finish my story, ashamed.

"Wow." Obi-Wan says, stunned. "So, that's what that was all about?" He says, jerking his thumb toward the door in reference to my earlier outburst.

I nod. "Uh-huh."

Before I can say anything else, the doorbell rings.

"I'll get it," I say, grateful for the interruption, if only because it gives me a minute to get my head on straight.

Without checking to see who's outside, I open the door and look up.

And then my mouth drops open.

I take a step back in shock.

This is _impossible._

It can't be _happening_.

But it is.

It's happening in a world called _here_ in a little place called _now_...

I can't breathe.

My heart skips a beat.

Then two.

Three.

Four.

Just as I'm beginning to wonder why I haven't keeled over yet, my voice returns to me. "_Anakin_?" I whisper. Not sure if it's him.

Anakin looks down at me. "Hello, Padme." He says. Then he smiles, bright sparkling teeth almost blinding me at this close range.

And that's when I noticed his eyes.

That's when I realized that it was really him. That he was actually here, at my house in this moment. I'm not hallucinating, I know that much for sure.

Because his eyes are yellow.

I scream.

Anakin reaches out...

_Bzzt._

It all goes dark.

**Okay, guys and girls, feedback time! Let me know what you think!**

**May the Force be with you,**

**~Ink**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters belong to George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd.**

**Alright, everyone time for chapter 7! I know it's been forever since my last update, but I've been really busy...Anyway, here goes nothing.**

Everything happens at once.

Anakin catches Padmé's body before it has even fallen an inch.

Mace steps forward, arm reaching to take Padmé from Anakin.

Anakin pivots, sword clearing the scabbard before he even has time to think about it. The cold, unforgiving metal of his blade meets Mace's wrist at the same time as his voice rings out: "_Don't touch her!_"

Mace cries out and reels backward, right arm ending in a red, welling stump.

Obi-Wan lunges forward, intending to tackle Anakin to the ground.

Faster than Obi-Wan can blink, Anakin's foot lashes out. Kenobi's head snaps back, and his teeth slam together, his ears ringing. Before he can recover, Anakin's elbow crashes into Obi-Wan's jaw, sending the other man to the floor.

"Come on, Kenobi," Anakin goads, _Vader _coursing through him. "Is that the best you've got?"

Anakin is mildly surprised when Mace lunges forward, left arm swinging clumsily. Skywalker ducks under the uncoordinated swing, flips grips on his sword, and rams the hilt into Mace's gut.

Mace crumples, wheezing to the floor and doesn't get up again.

A swift boot to the side of the head renders Kenobi unconscious as well.

Ahsoka streaks into the room. "What's going on in-" Horror steals the words from her throat as she stares at her cousin. "Anakin? What did you _do_?"

Anakin's tall, lean body is draped in a long, hooded black cloak, his eyes blazing yellow beneath the cowl. His skin is pale, like he's never seen the sun in his entire life. His lips are a pallid orange, like a weathered seashell that's seen too much sun. His voice is hoarse, raw, and its uncharacteristically bass tones chill her to the bone.

"Only as much as I had to." His face is hard, voice infinitely sad. "I didn't want you to see this...I didn't want it to be this way." Anakin's features settle into an exasperated grimace. He crosses the room in an eyeblink.

Before Ahsoka even has time to flinch, Anakin seizes her arm in a vise-grip. "I'm sorry. You'll have to stay here."

Ahsoka pulls against Anakin's impossibly strong grip. "What? Why? What happened to Obi-Wan and Mace? I'm not doing _anything _until I get some _answers_." She says sharply, smacking his arm feebly.

Anakin shifts his hand so he can keep a hold of Padmé, moving his left hand to pinch the arteries in Ahsoka's neck.

Ahsoka swooned, consciousness slipping away. The last thing heard before dropping into sweet oblivion was Anakin's remorsefully authoritive voice:

"It wasn't a question."

_*****SoS*****_

I wake up in the back of a car.

Without even opening my eyes, I can tell the car is extremely fancy. The seats feel like...leather? Or is it silk? Either way, they're really soft.

"Morning, angel. You've been asleep for a long time." That voice. _His _voice.

My eyes snapped opened. "Anakin?" I blurt out, unable to control my enthusiasm, despite the fact that I have no idea how I got here. "Where am I?" I wonder.

Anakin smirks. It's familiar, at least, and I feel a little bit more at home.

I sit up, stretching my neck and rolling my shoulders, trying to exercise the sleep from my limbs. "I missed you." I say, stretching over to kiss his cheek.

He smiles. "I missed you too, angel."

"Can I ask you a question?" I speculate.

Anakin nods. "Shoot."

"What happened to your eyes?" I wonder.

Anakin tenses up immediately. "It's a long story."

"And?" I press.

"It's going to upset you." Anakin dodges again.

"I'll decide that. Tell me what happened."

"It started after you left..." Anakin began. "Palpatine has been manufacturing this drug called _V.A.D.E.R. _for a long time. It's a stimulant, but it works best if you're angry." He's been planning to 'institute a revolution of directive' for a long time."

"So he wants to take over the world?" I guess.

"Exactly. He runs the mob. He was you father's boss...Anyhow, he knew he wasn't going to be able to do it alone, so he enlisted Dooku's help." Anakin laughs bitterly. "And when I killed Dooku in the ring, I ended up taking his place...And I didn't think you could forgive me for what I did to your father and...Since then, I've been Palpatine's lackey. He gave me his newest version of the Vader compound, and that gave me a boost physically, but it also turned my eyes yellow. That will go away, but I don't know how long it'll last." Anakin finishes.

"If you didn't think I could forgive you, what are you doing here?" I frown, confused.

"Palpatine threatened to kill you if you didn't come back and support his cause as a representative in the student council...Indoctrinate the youth and all that. I had to keep you safe." Anakin says, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. "As soon as you are, I'm taking him out."

I glare at him. "And you expect me to just hole up somewhere like a kriffing damsel in distress? Not a kriffing chance. I don't care about what you did-we can talk about that later. Right now, I want to help...You wouldn't happen to have any Vader on you now, would you?" I demand.

Anakin's lips compress, and he shakes his head. "No. That stuff will ruin your life. If you want it, get it from somebody else." He says, reaching down to the cupholder to pick up the orange bottle. He stuffs it into his pocket.

Frustrated, I press my lips to the side of his neck and up his angular jaw, while my fingers reach into his pocket and lift the pill bottle back out.

Apparently, I am just as effective at distracting Anakin as he is me.

But, my success is short-lived his hand stops me before I can retrieve it.

"Nice try princess, you'll have to do better than that."

I huff and cross my arms, irritated. Peering at Anakin from the corner of my eye, I can see that he's focused on driving, so I try again.

Sighing, Anakin moves the pill bottle to his left side pants pocket, out of my reach. "You're not getting the pills." He scolds.

"We'll see about that." I reply snidely, and return to glaring out the windshield.

**So...how'd I do? Good? Awful? Let me know! First to review gets and A/P oneshot! _Careless Preparation_ really needs an update!**

**May the Force be with you,**

**~Ink**


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry for the wait everyone, I've been insanely busy lately...Thanks for all the great reviews, please keep it up!**

**On with the show!**

We're in a hotel somewhere.

And Anakin snores.

I never noticed that before. At least that means he's asleep...Which also means that I'll be able to get my hands on some of his precious _Vader _pills. I roll off the couch, landing silently on the floor, and creep over to Anakin's discarded robe.

I start to reach for the pocket where he stashed them, but I stop myself. He'll be angry with me if he finds out I took them, and since they turn your eyes yellow, it's not like I'll be able to hide it.

Still, I can't stand the thought of him squaring off against Palpatine by himself...I worry about him.

Steeling myself, I reach into his pocket and withdraw the orange bottle, frowning at it. It looks so...innocuous. I unscrew the cap and down two of the pills, replacing the container when I'm finished.

The whole process seems a little anti-climactic, there is no sudden burst of rage, and I don't experience a sudden, visceral urge to kill anyone, I just feel like I've swallowed a Tylenol.

I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed; I'm expecting to feel...I don't know..._Empowered_, but I don't.

Sighing, I crawl back to the couch and go back to sleep, dissatisfied...

__Anakin's face is inches from mine as I claw my way back to consciousness. He peers at my eyes intently for a moment and then frowns deeply.

"Just as I thought." He almost growls. "I told you not to take those. I guess you'll just have to live with the consequences then. Remember, I warned you: _those pills will ruin your life._ If you're so intent on destroying your existence, I won't stand in your way." Anakin snaps.

"It's really that bad?" I ask. I think he's bluffing, trying to scare me off taking any more of his stash; but there's a nagging voice in the back of my head that keeps trying to tell me that he might be serious.

Anakin's answering grin is smug, almost condescending. "You'll find out soon enough."

I reach out to shove him, irritated, and my jaw drops open when he goes flying across the room-I haven't even touched him yet.

Anakin picks himself up, raising an eyebrow. "That's just what I need." He mutters. "A telekinetinc girlfriend." He presses two fingers to the side of his head, exasperated.

I giggle despite myself, his expression is priceless. "I'm sorry!" I manage, and then collapse onto the bed in a fit of laughter.

Anakin makes a sound that is somewhere between a snarl and a laugh, and suddenly, he's on top of me, pinning my wrists to the bed with his impossibly strong hands.

He looks angry, so I stretch up to peck his lips as best as I can, trying to appease him. Then, his lips are pressing back against mine hungrily; the intensity of our licentious liplock sends an automatic surge of desire searing though my veins. Instinctively, my arms wrap around him, crushing him closer. I don't remember much else after that...

_*****SoS****_

Ahsoka sits up, rubbing the bruises on the sides of her neck. The last thing she remembers is...awful.

_Mace is facedown on the floor, blood pooling around the stump of his right wrist. He doesn't look like he's breathing. _

_ Obi-Wan is crumpled onto the floor, curled up in an agonized ball._

_ Anakin stands in the doorway, sword slick with ichor..._

_ Could Obi-Wan have been stabbed?_

Everything after that is too fuzzy for Ahsoka to be sure she's recalling it correctly.

"Good." Obi-Wan's pained voice breaks into her thoughts. "You're alright. You had Mace and I worried for a minute there."

Ahsoka nods. "Sorry. How's Mace holding up, with his hand, I mean?"

"He's on his way to the Naboo General Hospital right now, they're going to reattach the severed hand and let him soak in the bacta tank for a few days. If that doesn't start healing by then, they'll give him a prosthetic." Obi-Wan explains. He reaches down to help Ahsoka off of the floor.

Ahsoka takes his hand gratefully. "So, what do we do now?"

Obi-Wan sighs wearily. "We follow them to the hospital and wait."

"Great." Ahsoka grumbles. "Sounds like _fun._"

_*****SoS*****_

Palpatine winces as he peels himself off the floor. He has no idea how long he's been lying in that puddle of electrified water. From the heavy stench of charred flesh in the air, he guesses it's been a while. He raises a withering gray hand to feel his burning face, mouth dropping open in shock.

The skin of his face has melted and shifted and bent with the bones underneath-the electric shock was stronger than he thought-and his skull is misshapen and deformed. His eyes are sunken deep into their sockets, rimmed by puckered, angry flesh.

Although Palpatine can't see them, his eyes blaze with the intense golden heat of his fury.

Glorious, potent rage courses through him; his entire body is thrilling with it. As the red star that used to be his heart explodes, one name comes screaming out of the depths of the visceral matter: _Skywalker!_

**So there you have it: Mace and Obi-Wan are temporarily out of comission, so we probably won't be hearing from them for at least one chapter, maybe two. I know it's really short, but please be patient; If I force myself to write, it won't make any sense. Don't forget to review!**

**May the Force be with you,**

**~Ink**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks for all the great reviews guys! Keep it up! :) Sorry for the wait as always.**

**Okay, everyone...We're going to jump forward quite a bit in this chapter-about three months after Anakin "kidnaps" Padmé from her home in the city of Naboo. Mace is waiting on a replacement hand, while Ahsoka and Obi-Wan try to hunt down Anakin and get Padmé back. Meanwhile, Anakin and Padmé are having some issues of their own...**

As I curl in on myself, puking what feels like several years' worth of food into the toilet bowl, I silently promise myself that I'll never eat again. It's a useless gesture-I'll be back in the fridge before the hour is up, and I'll probably ask Anakin to make me one of his omlettes. They're just so _good_ and I've gotten this craving for them...Anakin probably thinks I'm nuts-almost everything I eat anymore just makes a return trip, though it seems to be worst in the morning, right after I wake up.

I rinse my mouth out, and brush my teeth in the-_our_ new bathroom. We're back in Coruscant, and Anakin has somehow managed to get us a rather luxurious apartment without having Palpatine and his cronies descend upon us-a difficult task I'm sure.

I frown as I open the cabinet above the sink, the _Vader _tablets are gone. It's probably my fault anyway, I've been popping them like mints-Pepto-Bismol, Tylenol, Advil, and Excedrin don't do anything for me anymore and already I can feel the nausea return and my head begins to pound. My hand comes up to rub my temple and I wince.

"Think you should see a doctor?" Anakin asks, his voice warm and serious at the same time. "You've been sick like this for a while now."

I nod. "Maybe. Won't they have to take down your information and stuff? That will put you at risk right?" I wonder.

Anakin shakes his head. "I'll use an alias. We'll be fine."

I frown again. "What will I tell the doctor?"

Anakin shrugs. "Just explain how you feel."

"Okay. Just to recap here, I've got weird cravings, I've been throwing up constantly...And I'm fat." I admit.

"No you aren't." Anakin denies immediately, yellow eyes softening.

"I appreciate your chivalry, but I'm being serious. I gained ten pounds in the last week!" I blurt, blushing immediately.

"Oh..." Anakin pauses. "You don't think..." And then he stops himself.

"What?" I press, thinking he might be on to something.

"It's nothing. I'm probably just being paranoid, and it's probably just some kind of food poisoning, but...You don't think you might be pregnant, do you?"

"Umm..." My jaw hits the floor. I haven't even _considered_ that. Worse yet, is the fact that it seems to be the most logical explanation for all the freaky things that have been happening with my body...Gently, I lift my shirt and profile myself in the mirror.

My heart skips a beat.

I have to _really_ look for it, but it's there: a small bump jutting out from my stomach. "Holy kriff." I breathe. My brain's processing things like lightning, and the next thing that hits me is even more powerful. "What about Palpatine?" If..." I lower my voice, even though I know we're alone. "If I _am _pregnant and Palpatine _finds out_..." I can't catch a breath. Even though I know hyperventilation is a bad thing, I can't help myself.

"Shh." Anakin strokes my hair gently, whispering sweet nothings in my ear. "I'll take care of that." He stands and leaves the bathroom, shrugging into his cloak and belting on his sword.

"_No_." The voice that comes out of my mouth is venomous, and passionate, and scratchy from puking, but it's mine. "I want my _children_ to have a _father._" I snap. It's probably the _Vader_ talking, but I'm sticking by my guns.

Anakin pauses. "Padmé, we don't even know if you're pregnant yet." He reminds me.

The nerve!

"_Anakin Skywalker!_" It comes out almost like I'm scolding him, and in a way, I guess I am. "Don't you_ dare_ try to tell me you wouldn't feel guilty if your son or daughter didn't have a daddy."

His shoulders slump and I know I've got him.

"Fine, I won't go." He says, but he picks up the phone.

"What are you doing now?" I ask.

"You need to see a doctor." He says.

_*****SoS*****_

"Sir?" The man in the red cloak says crisply to Palpatine's hooded countenace.

"Speak." The old man's withered lips whispers from beneath the hood.

"A mister David Rice has made an appointment with Coruscant MedCenter for a pregnancy consult...We believe this may be Anakin Skywalker's alias-an apartment in the 500 Republica Boulevard building was rented under the same name, and the man matches Skywalker's description."

"What are you still doing here? _Go get him!_" Palpatine snapped.

The red guard saluted and then hurried out the door.

**Thoughts anyone? Kudos to anyone who spotted the _Jumper_ reference. (yet another awesome movie) Don't forget to review!**

**As a side note, my next fic will be a _Star Wars/Twilight _crossover; there's so many of them out there if you look hard enough, but you'll also notice that none of them are finished...What do you think?**

**May the Force be with you,**

**~Ink**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters and quotes from the _Revenge of the Sith _film belong to George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd.**

**Alright everyone, I know it's been forever since the last update, but, I've been crazy busy...I just can't catch a break!**

**Anyway, keep your eyes peeled, anyone who's read _Careless Preparation_ will recognize part of this chapter...**

**Without further adieu... **

Obi-Wan peers down at figure in red racing through the busy street from the rooftop across from the Coruscant Medical Center.

"They've been in there for over an hour." Ahsoka comments impatiently. "Exactly _what_ are you planning on doing when the come out?" She wonders.

"Rescuing Padmé," Obi-Wan replies absently, as he turns, making for the rooftop access door. He frowns as he enters the stairwell.

"Have you considered the fact that he might not _let_ you take her?"

Obi-Wan only nods.

"And do you have a plan? Just in case?" She presses.

Obi-Wan holds up a hand. "Let's just cross that bridge when we get to it, alright?" He says as they step back outside onto the sidewalk. His mouth drops open in horror, and he races across the busy street, nearly being struck by cars multiple times as he screams:

"_Padmé!_"

***_**SoS**_***

Anakin grips Padmé's hand warmly as the two of them sit in the exam office. The physician has gone out to fill out some paperwork for Padmé's initial workup, leaving the young couple alone for the moment.

Padmé's small hand, engulfed in Anakin's larger one, is trembling.

"Are you alright?" Anakin asks. "You're trembling."

"I...I'll be okay. I'm just worried; that's all." Padmé responds quietly, leaning her head onto Anakin's shoulder.

Anakin presses a tender kiss onto the top of her head, luxuriating in the intoxicating scent of her brunette tresses.

"I don't want my kids to grow up in a world where they can't decide for themselves-a world where every important choice is made for them...Part of growing up is making mistakes, learning from them. Doing stupid things just because, living in the moment, even if it's only for a little while." Padmé's voice breaks. "Oh, Anakin...What are we going to _do_?"

Anakin's face twists, almost as if he doesn't know whether to laugh or to cry. And then he smiles. "We're not going to worry about any of that right now. Alright? This is a happiest moment of my _life_."

Relieved, Padmé leans up to kiss his jaw at the same instant that the physician, Bariss walks back into the room.

She blushes for a brief moment and then regains her composure. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to interrupt."

Anakin smiles warmly, and gestures for her to speak. "No harm, no foul. Please, continue."

The doctor smiles. "Well, so far everything looks good. I'd like to see you back in a month just as a precaution. Feel free to come back anytime if you have any questions."

Padmé nods, and shakes Bariss' hand. "I will. The baby comes first." She says.

"_Babies_." Bariss corrects. "You're having twins.

Padmé smiles again. "That's wonderful!"

"Indeed." Bariss replies

After a short exchange of pleasantries, Anakin and Padmé excuse themselves.

Padmé smiles, leaning against Anakin as they walk down the hallway. "You know, we really should start thinking about names for our children." She points out.

Anakin nods. "What do you think of the name Florence?"

Padmé's eyebrows raise. "Florence?" She repeats, testing the name on her tongue. After a moment, she shakes her head. "Too old-fashioned." She pauses for a moment. "How about Ariel?" She wonders.

Anakin frowns. "Too common. We need something with zest, something with _style_, something sophisticated...like Fantasia."

Padmé giggles "That might be a little too..._unique_." She says.

"What about...Leia?" He suggests.

Padmé thinks about it for a minute. "I like it, it's a beautiful name. It's sophisticated, but it doesn't scream 'look at me I'm special'." She agrees.

Anakin grins. "Yeah, Fantasia was pretty bad." He admits.

"What about our son? He needs a name too, you know." Padmé teases. "I like Donovan. What do you think?"

"Honestly?" Anakin asks.

Padmé nods.

"I think it sounds like trouble. A kid with that kind of name is bound to get into kinds of trouble." He jests, grinning.

"You're making fun of me," Padmé realizes, chuckling.

"Oh no, I'd be much too frightened to tease a senator." Anakin replies innocently. The _Vader _in his system warns him of danger and all traces of humor are gone from his face in an eyeblink. "Wait." He says, holding up a hand as he reaches for his sword.

At the far end of the hallway, a man in red robes rounds the corner.

"Anakin Skywalker, his Eminence, Emperor Palpatine, requests you presence immediately." He says.

"I'm sorry, you must have me confused with someone else." Anakin responds, keeping his head down as he draws closer.

The man's hand flashes out to grab Anakin's arm as he passes.

"Let go." Anakin growls.

The man's grip tightens. "I'm afraid I really must insist."

"You have ten seconds to let go of _my_ arm or you'll lose yours."

The man grunts, releases Anakin, and seizes Padmé by the throat.

Anakin's blood boils and _Vader_ surges through his veins in a white-hot burn of rage. His voice is eerily calm; the menace in his tone can stop an army cold.

"Release her. _Immediately._" Anakin snarls, the cold, sharp point of his sword finds the mans throat; the self-control it takes to keep from killing him on the spot is astonishing. His lips peel back from his teeth and he blows out a long sigh. "I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that your contemptable lapse in judgment is due to simple stupidity. I will not make the same mistake twice."

"Fine," The man says and shoves Padmé into Anakin.

Time slows down as the two of them go sprawling to the floor

Anakin sees the muzzle of a gun appear from inside the man's robes.

Padmé reaches out, eyes squeezed shut in concentration.

And then it speeds up again:

The Red Guard screams as he bullets backward into the flimsy drywall, bursting through it in a cloud of white dust and bits of plaster, in the same instant that his gun fires.

Anakin's eyes are burning a sulfuric yellow, the familiar red hate-smoke curdles at the base of his spine as he leaps though the hole after the man, with a barely recognizable "Stay here," tossed over his shoulder at Padmé.

Anakin lands solidly on his feet on the other side of the hole, peering though the haze of white.

_Watch yourself._

Anakin throws his blade up in a block, the Guard's sword sparked off of the parry with a screech of metal-on-metal. He shoves the blade aside venomously, following up with a vicious kick that saw the man stumbling back.

The two trade a vicious flurry of blows, lunging, parrying, until Anakin's thundering overhand cleaves downward through the Guard's skull. The spray of gore doesn't even faze him, his anger at last subsiding. Blowing out a long breath, he steps back through the massive hole in the wall to find Padmé limply sprawled on the floor, blood pooling on under her right shoulder. He wipes his face on his sleeve and places two fingers on the side of her neck.

He almost gasps with relief when he finds that her pulse is still strong and healthy. Anakin briefly examines the wound on her shoulder, just as comforted by the fact that the injury is superficial-the bullet has only grazed Padmé; her body simply cannot handle the dual burden of being pregnant while also unleashing the full fury of her budding abilities.

Anakin strokes Padmé's hair. "Can you hear me sweetheart?"

Padmé stirs.

Before she can respond, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka come barreling though the hospital entrance.

Obi-Wan's face is ashen. "Anakin...what have you _done_?"

Anakin's gaze snaps up. "Obi-Wan. This isn't what it looks like." He says.

But his reptilian yellow eyes are enough truth for Obi-Wan. "Save it. I don't have the patience, nor the will to listen to any of your lies. Now, move away from her." He commands.

Anakin shakes his head sadly, rising to his feet and drawing his sword once more. "I can't do that."

"_Move. Now._" Obi-Wan orders, fighting to keep his rapidly rising ire in check.

Anakin plants his feet. "You will not take her from me!" He roars defiantly.

"Your anger and your lust for power have already done that...You have allowed this...Dark Lord to twist your mind until now...Until now you have become the very thing your swore you would never be. I will do what I must."

Anakin smirks as the _Vader _starts flowing again, infusing his body with superhuman strength. He knows, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Obi-Wan cannot hope to defeat him.

And so, it is with complete confidence that he utters his own challenge:

"You will try."

And then Obi-Wan lunges, his silver blade screaming for Anakin's heart.

**Like it? Hate it? Review and let me know! **

**May the Force be with you,**

**~Ink**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters and quotes from Revenge_ of the Sith_ belong to George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd. Quotes from the Revenge_ of the Sith novelization_ belong to Matthew Stover and George Lucas. Quotes from _Star Wars Revenge of the Sith: The Videogame_ belong to The Collective Studios and Lucasarts Entertainment.**

**Okay everyone, here comes the next chapter! We finally get to see the Anakin/Obi-Wan fight!**

**I don't want to spoil it, so I'm just going to jump right in.**

**Here goes nothing...**

Anakin dodges effortlessly, cracking the back of Obi-Wan's head as he stumbles past.

Obi-Wan pauses, staring down at Padme's bloody, limp form. "Anakin-Anakin what have you _done_?"

"I'll give you a chance Obi-Wan. For old times' sake. Walk away. Go someplace out of the way. Read. Skateboard. That's what you like isn't it?" Anakin responds.

"I wish it were that simple." Obi Wan replies sadly. He gestures to Padmé's unmoving form. "At least me take her to a hospital. She's hurt Anakin. She needs medical attention."

Anakin shakes his head firmly. "I don't trust you. She stays." He says flatly.

"Anakin-"

"_You_ don't get to take her _anywhere_. You don't get to _touch_ her. She's _mine_, do you understand?"

"That isn't your choice to make." Obi-Wan growls.

Anakin's brow darkens. "You're oversimplifying things, Kenobi." He snaps, blade flashing a bright silver as he brings it to bear against Obi-Wan's weakening defenses. "There's much you fail to understand."

Obi Wan scoffs. "Why don't you enlighten me." He retorts, riposting Anakin's strikes and seamlessly interweaving his own attacks as the two combatants round another corner; the hallways in this are as complicated as the Labyrinth.

Anakin grits his teeth as Obi-Wan's blade scores a superficial hit on his thigh. "I have to keep her _safe_." He grunts, shoving Obi-Wan back, and dodging his next blow as it takes a chunk out of the corner of the wall..

"By keeping her hostage? Great job." Obi-Wan snorts as he attempts to skip around Anakin to get back to Padmé.

Anakin's yellow eyes blaze. "_Don't touch her!_" he commands, his retaliating punch leaves Obi-Wan reeling, tasting the coppery tang of blood in his mouth. Then, he grabs the disoriented man and heaves him down the hallway with the astonishing strength _Vader_ lends him.

Obi-Wan sails down the narrow passage way, the world blurring around him. He idly wonders how fast he's going, and then his brains are scrambled as he crashes through the thin plasterboard at the end of the hallway in a cloud of destroyed drywall, smack-dab in the middle of the words "Under Construction".

He lands on the rough cement hard enough to knock the breath from his lungs, crying out as the impact fractures at least two of his ribs, losing his weapon in the process. He barely manages to struggle to his feet before Anakin is through the hole in the wall, blade raised for a killing blow.

Obi-Wan casts about frantically for his sword; his heart drops into his gut as he realizes it's on the other side of the room. He looks up again, and realizes he's out of time. He snatches up a thick electric cable, holding it aloft.

Anakin, puts all of his considerable strength behind the blow, hacking through the cord.

The sword falls from limp fingers as the powerful electric current courses through his muscles. He's blown backward from the sudden release of energy; the severed cable writhes like a bisected worm, spitting sparks in every direction, dangerously close to a collection of oxygen cylinders.

The cluttered construction site comes alive with twisting lights, casting an ominous glow throughout the room.

Obi-Wan wastes no time in scrambling across the room to retrieve his sword, whirling just in time to catch the first blow of Anakin's furious onslaught.

It was considerable easier this time, Anakin's right arm was badly burned, weeping ichor as his muscles clenched-however his blows were still just as deadly.

Anakin's thundering overhands presses Obi-Wan further into the construction site, blade sparking off struts of rebar as he swung.

Obi-Wan wipes the sweat from his eyes with a grimy sleeve as he backs away from Anakin's ferocious advance; he is exhausted, despair is beginning to set in.

And then, he sees it.

Just behind Anakin's lumbering shape is a ladder leading up to a narrow catwalk.

Desperate, he charges Anakin with a howl, blade raised in a feint, only to bowl Anakin's legs out from under him in a slide-tackle.

Anakin's breath leaves him in a _whoosh_; he shakes off the pain and surges to his feet, blade whipping through the air as he twists, hoping to sever Kenobi's spine.

But he is too late.

Anakin glares up at Obi-Wan, perched on a narrow catwalk ten feet above him, gasping. Suspended above him, are several heavy bags of cement mix, suspended by a thick coil of rope anchored to a metal hook near Anakin's feet.

Obi-Wan realizes this at the same time and sidesteps, moving out danger.

"It's over Anakin. I have the high ground." He calls, his voice reverberating through the empty room.

Anakin glares up at him. "You underestimate my power." He sneers.

Almost imperceptibly, Obi-Wan shakes his head. "Don't try it."

Anakin seizes the thick rope, cutting through it in one powerful stroke. His arm is almost pulled from its socket by the violent acceleration, but Anakin hangs on.

Time slows as he hurtles upward; his heartbeat pounds in his ears.

Obi-Wan cocks his sword back over his shoulder, bracing for a heavy, level sweep. He swings.

It is in this instant that Anakin realizes his opponent's intent, and tucks his knees up into his chest.

Obi-Wan's blade passes harmlessly beneath him and he capitalizes on his advantage, using both legs to kick Obi-Wan over the railing.

Obi-Wan flails as he tumbles backward over the railing hacking through Anakin's right arm at the elbow as his foe lands; then he's falling down, toward the sea of rebar spears below.

There is a sickening squelch as Obi-Wan is impaled through the torso by one of the metal stakes.

Anakin screams , clutching the stump of his severed arm. He glares down at Obi-Wan and sprints for the other end of the catwalk, just as the sparking coil he'd severed earlier in their duel makes contact with the a stray piece of rebar, chaining electricity through the whole array of metal supports.

Anakin hurled himself through the hole in the wall as the sparks ignited the oxygen cylinders, narrowly escaping the tongue of flame that belched from the opening.

He sagged against the wall, spent, and in pain, and then limped off to find Padmé.

**Love it? Hate it? Review and let me know!**

**May the Force be with you,**

**~Ink**

**P.S. _Masterchief2468, thank you for waiting so patiently for an update of Twilight Memorial, I'll have it up as soon as I can._**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters and quotes are the property of George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd.**

**Alright everybody, here comes chapter 11! It's very short, but hopefully it will answer some questions...Anywho, Anakin has gained some new abilites; the _Vader_ is making him more powerful. We'll see some in this chapter, others will have to wait until later. But, it's only a few more chapters until the end of _SoS_. Happy ending here we come!**

The pain is excruciating. My shoulder screams as I ritch into an upright position, grunting with the effort. The white-hot knives of agony scramble my brain, but at least the babies are safe.  
>I take deep, slow breaths, forcing myself to focus on something other than the pain. It's just beginning to work, when Anakin hobbles around the corner.<br>My mouth drops open, and I want to be sick.  
>Anakin's right arm is gone, reduced to a welling red stump.<br>"What..." I wonder aloud.  
>"Obi-Wan," Anakin's noncommittal grunt is his only response. He reaches down and gently helps me to my feet.<br>"So that's it, huh? We're just going to ignore the fact that I've been shot, and you're missing an arm?" I screech, waving my good arm incredulously.  
>"We're not going to ignore it, we just need to get the important things sorted out first; you need that bullet wound looked at, and I need to do something about this arm." Anakin explains, flapping the stump of his arm for emphasis.<br>I wince at the motion, wanting to reach out and stroke his cheek, to kiss him tenderly on his lips, his jaw, his neck...but the hardness in his eyes tells me he's in no mood for touches of passion at the moment. Still, I can't resist planting a peck on the side of his face. "Does it hurt?" I ask him, gesturing to his grotesque injury.  
>Anakin shakes his head. "Not really. The Vader helps to numb the pain." He shrugs off my hand and then takes it in his left. "Come on, let's get that looked at."<br>Anakin leads me through the winding hallways, almost as if he's following some kind of invisible trail.  
>Eventually, we end up in a small surgical theatre.<br>"I know you're here!" Anakin roars. With a wave of his hand, he sends the surgical bed flipping across to land upright on the other side of the room.  
>Cowering where the bed had been is a waif of a woman, dressed in hospital scrubs.<br>"D-d-don't hurt me!" She pleads  
>Anakin scoffs, yellow eyes glinting with scorn. "You're not worth the effort." He beckons with two fingers and a chair slides across the floor. "Please," He says, with a seductively charming tone and a wave of his hand. "Have a seat."<br>The woman complies, staring at Anakin with a blank gaze.  
>"Padmé?" Anakin calls beckoning me.<br>He stares at the woman before waving his hand again. "Treat her wounds. Immediately."  
>The woman nods and then gets up to bustle around the room and prepare things.<br>"What's your name?" I ask her.  
>"Vokara Che." The woman responds flatly, continuing to dress my wound. There are a few uncomfortable twists and some less-than-pleasants tugs as she applies the bandages and batch patches but soon, she's finished.<br>And I have to admit, my shoulder is starting to feel better already.  
>Anakin takes my place on the bed peering at the doctor with stoic inquisitiveness. "Now to business; What do you know about mechanical arms?" <p>

_*****SoS*****_

Ahsoka rounds another corner in the maze of hallways in her search for Obi-Wan, pausing in shock when she sees the smoke pouring from a hole in the wall. She tentatively steps over to the gap, fanning the thick smoke away from her face. Faintly, she can hear someone calling out from inside.  
>"Hello?" She responds. "Is anyone in there?"<br>"Help me!" Comes the frantic reply.  
>"Hold on, I'm coming to get you out!" Ahsoka calls back, taking a deep breath of fresh air before picking her way through the massive opening.<br>She immediately chokes on the acrid scent of burned flesh, and she follows her nose to the rear of the construction sight; she gasps at the horrible sight before her.  
>Obi-Wan is face-up on the floor, impaled on a long, thin piece of rebar. He is badly burned over most of his body and his eyes are closed. Ahsoka wonders if he's breathing.<br>"Obi-Wan?" She asks quietly, fearing the worst.  
>Obi-Wan's eyes jerk open and he tries to sit up, screaming in agony as the rebar through his gut makes itself known. He immediately regrets that decision, as it is extremely difficult for him to breathe.<br>"Ahsoka?" He wheezes.  
>"I'm right here, just hang on and I'll go get help."<br>Obi-Wan doesn't have the energy to speak, but manages to nod as Ahsoka sprints from the room.  
>He doesn't have the energy to speak, though if he did, he would tell her not to bother; he probably won't be alive when she gets back.<p>

**Yeah, it's short, but it's more of a filler chapter until we get to the more important events in the next chapter. Kind of like a snack to hold you over until the meal...Don't forget to Review!**

**May the Force be with you,**

**~Ink**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters are the property of George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd. Quotes from the _Star Wars Revenge of the Sith: The Official Videogame_ are the property of The Collective Studios and Lucasarts Entertainment.**

**Alright everybody, the finish line is in sight. We are officially one step closer to the promised happy ending! In this chapter, we get to see what happens to Obi-Wan after his defeat at Anakin's hands. We also get to see Mace for the first time since chapter 7! Also, We get to see the Anakin/Palpatine fight!**

**One last thing before we get started: There will be some Mace/Ahsoka fluff in this chapter but rest assured _they are NOT in a relationship._ Ahsoka has begun seeing Mace a "big brother" sort of way in Anakin's absence. She has been through a lot...**

**Anyway, I just felt the need to clarify that; sometimes people have some very **

**strange ways reading into things.**

**On with the show!**

Ahsoka sits on a worn couch in a cramped room overlooking the operating theatre. She stares intently down at Obi-Wan; he's just gone into surgery.

"Your friend is very lucky you found him when you did." The doctor intones, patting Ahsoka's shoulder reassuringly. "Another few minutes and he probably wouldn't have made it."

Ahsoka doesn't know how to take that; she settles for a simple "I guess..." and then: "Will he be okay?" She asks, turning to look at the surgeon inquisitively.

The man's face falls. "He'll be okay, but he'll need to wear a respirator, his breathed in some pretty nasty stuff in that fire."

"How long will he have to do that for?" Ahsoka wonders.

"It'll only be for a little while. A week, maybe two." The doctor says.

Ahsoka frowns. "Will he be out of surgery soon at least?"

The doctor nods. "Sort of. It'll be at least a seven hour procedure."

"Okay." Ahsoak replies. "Thank you."

"No problem. Just press the call button if you need anything." With that, the doctor leaves the room.

Before the minute is over Mace, strides into the room, flexing his right hand; the bacta tank has done its job well-his new hand is identical to the one he lost in his battle with Anakin.

"I got your message. What the kriff happened?" He wonders.

"I have no idea. I found him in a construction site inside the hospital. There was some kind of explosion and I'm guessing Obi-Wan fell off a ladder or something, because he landed on a piece of rebar." Ahsoka explains, resting her head on Mace's shoulder.

Mace sighs and ruffles her tousled brown hair. "It'll be okay kiddo. What do you say we grab a bite to eat and then come back to check on him. Okay?"

Ahsoka sniffles. "Okay."

_*****SoS*****_

Anakin flexes the fingers of his right hand as he pulls the black glove over the false appendage.

"Will this suit you?" Asks the physician, trying and failing to conceal the tremor in her voice.

"This will do just fine." Anakin says pleasantly, standing and taking Padmé's flesh hand in his mechanical one. "Thank you." He says, and leads Padmé from the room.

"What are we going to do now?"

"Go after Palpatine." Anakin replies tensely. He releases Padmé's hand breifly to step back through the hole in the wall to retrieve the gun from the dead Red Guard who'd shot Padmé earlier. The _Vader_ won't stop buzzing warnings in his head, and he can't bear to leave Padmé unprotected.

Padmé eyed him quizzically as he tossed it to her. "Are you sure you can win?" Padmé's eyes cloud with doubt.

"Absolutely. I want our children to grow up somewhere safe. Somewhere that they are free to think and choose and be who they want to be, not conform to a mold created by a sociopathic dictator. That's about the best motivation I can think of." Anakin replies with fervor.

"I agree-" Padmé begins, cut off at the sight of Palpatine standing in the hospital lobby.

"Padmé, run." Anakin hisses, shoving her in the opposite direction as he draws his sword.

Wiry tangles of purple lightning spark from Palpatine's fingertips, rebounding off Anakin's blade as the young man intercepts the attack. "Leaving so soon?" The old man cackles.

"What do you want, old man?" Anakin demands, brandishing his gleaming silver blade.

"Your allegience, my apprentice. This little tryst must end. It is time for you to focus on learning, expanding your knowledge so that you may aid me in my endeavor to reinvent modern society." Palpatine wheezes, extending a gray, withered hand.

"That's not possible." Anakin replies coldly.

"Then, your existence is forfeit. Prepare to die." Palpatine reaches inside his robe and withdraws a similar weapon.

_Vader_ surges through Anakin's body, lending strength to his battered body.

Palpatine beckons mockingly.

Anakin leaps, blurring to invisibility by the sheer speed of the action.

Palpatine is bowled off his feet by his apprentice, and barely manages to avoid a sword blow to the face that will end the fight before it's really begun. With a grunt, he shoves the younger man off of him, sending him flying across the room. He only just gets to his feet before Anakin is all over him, his face twisted in a vindictive sneer.

"You're slowing down, getting old. It's _over._" Anakin growls, bringing his blade around in a vicious hack that buckles Palpatine's elbows before being deflected into the marble floor, spraying up a shower of rock fragments.

_Vader _whispers a warning, and Anakin barely manages to bring his hand up to shield his face in time as Palpatine unleashes a barrage of purple lightning.

Anakin's entire body goes numb and he is launched across the room, the bitter tang of ozone burning his nostrils until he slams into the wall, sword flying from limp fingers. Anakin barely manages to throw himself aside as Palpatine's sword comes flying at his face, only to bury itself up to the hilt in the wall.

Anakin flips his sword behind his back in a vertical block to deflect Palpatine's return hack, spinning with the deflection so he could parry the next series of blows.

The two duelists tear through the lobby, blades ringing and crashing, each blow crackling with more fury than the last.

Palpatine slips through Anakin's defenses, cracking his knuckles across the young man's face.

"_You _are _nothing_ without me!" Palpatine roars, his shout scattering the few remaining pedestrians on the street. "I _made_ you!"

Anakin shakes his head as he fends of another series of blows, going on the offensive when Palpatine is slow to recover. "No. You lied. You manipulated. You twisted me. Groomed me into the perfect killing machine to do the work you were too gutless to handle yourself." Anakin sneers back.

"If you will not give yourself to _Vader_, then perhaps your _children_ will." Palpatine goads, a yellow-toothed grin splitting his hideous visage.

Anakin's yellow eyes flash crimson at the remark, and his voice is deadly calm. "Over my dead body."

Palpatine allows himself a world-weary sigh. "If you insist." And then, he raises his blade.

A bone-jarring hack sets Palpatine stumbling over the rough sidewalk, and he barely manages to get his sword up in time to block Anakin's thundering overhand-as it is, the blow drives him to his knees.

As the emaciated old man kneels, it hits him.

He's done too good of a job.

He's become so obsessed with creating the perfect tool, the perfect servant, that he never thought to leave himself a fail-safe.

The _Vader _has worked better than he could ever have hoped for.

And here, now, it will be his undoing.

But he isn't going down without a fight.

Palpatine heaves himself back to his feet, charging the air between him and Anakin with a double-handed onslaught of lightning.

Anakin stumbles back against the initial blast, and recovers far, far faster than Palpatine expects; it's _Vader_ at work. He raises his hand casually, catching the lightning as easily as one would shield themselves from harsh sunlight,

The air between them crackles as Anakin duplicate's Palpatine's assault with twice the power.

Palpatine is quick, his hand flashes up to deflect the stream of energy with his hand in an astonishing display of power.

However, he is too slow to block bullet speeding toward his back.

The bullet lodges between his shoulder blades, causing the dying man to stumble forward.

The sword falls from Palpatine's slackening fingers as he collapses to the ground, almost in slow-motion.

Behind him stood Padmé, holding a smoking gun.

"Don't mess with my kids." She growled

**Well, That'll be it for this chapter. The ending is cheesy, I know, but the happy-ever-after has to start somewhere. Don't forget to Review! In the next chapter, we'll be skipping forward a little bit to when Obi-Wan gets out of the hospital.**

**May the Force be with you,**

**~Ink17**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: All quotes from _Republic High_ and _Careless Preparation _are mine. However, I don't own _Star Wars_. All characters are the property of George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd.**

**Okay, everyone, it's Happy Ending time at last! I really don't want to spoil the contents, of this chapter, so I won't say much, except that there will be some _Careless Preparation_ cameos...And, as a special treat for the last chapter of this fic, it will be written in Anakin's POV**

**Enjoy!**

I don't fidget.

Not _normally_ anyway. But, as I stand here next to the most important person in my life, one hand shoved into my pocket to grip the small, black velvet box nestled there, my nerves get the better of me. Soon, I'm shifting my weight from one foot to the other as we stand out on my balcony in my crappy flat-rate apartment.

It's spring now, and the evenings are finally warm enough to stay outside and watch the sunset; it's one of Padmé's favorite things to do.

Speaking of which, Padmé will be due any day now...and I can't shake the sense of guilt at knowing that we aren't married. Somehow, I'd always imagined that I'd do things in the right order: _Fall in love, get married, have a baby._ Unfortunately, that's not quite how it turned out.

But, hopefully this will make up for it.

With a shaking hand, I reach out to caress Padmé's shoulder.

As she turns, her beautiful brunette tresses glittering in the evening sun, I get down on one knee.

It's then that I realize I'm shaking.

Taking on a sociopathic evil dictator?

No sweat.

Popping the question?

Facing Palpatine has _nothing_ on this.

I gaze up into Padmé's enrapturing brown orbs. "Padmé?" I venture.

"Yes?" Padmé raises an eyebrow. "What are you doing on the floor?"

I take a deep breath. "I was really hoping to do this the traditional way; you know, fancy restraunt, a bottle of champagne, a band that plays our song at exactly the right moment..." I explain as I grip the box tighter.

Padmé nods, forehead creasing in confusion.

"I was also hoping we'd have reached this point in our relationship _before_ we had kids, but I think I'm mostly responsible for that." I take the ring out of my pocket. "Padmé, you are the most wonderful, the most beautiful, radiant, smart, sexy, angelic, fantastic woman I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. And I can't imagine spending my life with anyone but you. Padmé Naberrie...will you marry me?" I ask, opening the ring box to showcase the beautiful 45 karat diamond ring.

Padmé smiles down at me. "Of course I will, you big dope." And then she kisses me.

Inexplicably, she jerks away from me, panting.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

Padmé looked down at herself. "I...I think my water just broke." She stutters.

Realization sets my brain on fire. I nod. "I'll get the car."

_*****SoS*****_

I don't know how long I've been standing here, beside Padmé's hospital bed. It feels like days, no, years.

I grip her hand with my flesh appendage as my mechanical one brushes her sweat-damp hair gingerly from her forehead. "Padmé? How're you doing sweetheart?" I wonder, then cringe as she screams; another contraction, no doubt.

Padmé's eyes fly open. "Anakin," She pants, face glistening with perspiration. "Oh, Anakin." She moans exhaustedly.

I chuckle brokenly. "It's alright, Padmé, I'm here. We'll get through this together." I smile down at her, wincing as her grip tightens, grating the bones of my organic hand against one another. _This is going to be a long day._ I think.

I'm right.

Every one of her screams torments me- the dread dragon in my chest sneers: _This is your fault. You did this to her._ With an almost Herculean effort, I manage to ignore the pangs of guilt stabbing me.

It is the worst kind of torture imaginable.

But in the end, it's worth it.

After six excruciating hours in labor, at 7:42 PM, Padmé delivers two beautiful children into the world-a boy, Luke and a girl, Leia.

With the med-droid's assistance, Padmé is able to hold them for a little while.

For a long time, we sit together, marveling at the beauty of our children.

We are, for the first time since the whole mess with Palpatine started, happy.

And then Obi-Wan walked in, Ahsoka and Mace trickle into the room behind him.

I look at him remorsefully. "Listen. About before..." I begin.

Obi-Wan waves his hand, cutting me off. "Water under the bridge. Everyone is safe now, that's all that's important. Besides, You're going to have your hands full with these kids." He says.

"I know." I reply.

"What are their names." Ahsoka interjects.

"Luke and Leia." Padmé answers.

"Can I hold one of them?" Ahsoka asks.

"Yes, but be very careful; make sure you support his head." I warn, handing Luke to her gingerly.

Luke coos up at her and she smiles.

As I look between my fiancée and my cousin, It hits me:

I have my whole life ahead of me.

We're safe.

We're happy.

And now, we're a family.

And you know what?

That's good enough for me.

**And that will conclude the _Republic High _duology. Many thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, I hope you enjoyed the story; don't forget to tell me what you think of the ending!**

**Also, I need to clear some things up- in an earlier post, I had mentioned something about starting a _Star Wars/ Twilight_ crossover. Sorry to disappoint, but that will no longer be the case. One of my very patient fans, _MasterCheif2486_ has been waiting for me to finish this series so I can turn my attention to the fic I've started in his honor..._Star Wars: Twilight Memorial_. It's also an AU fic, but it's set in the _Star Wars _ universe, so expect lots of lightsaber duels and Force pwnage. Check it out if you haven't gotten a chance to yet, it's what I'll be working on for the next while.**

**May the Force be with you,**

**~Ink17**


End file.
